


Philly Jim

by Basketballer3511



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dwight Centric, Fix-It of Sorts, Heavy Angst, Jim Never Leaves Scranton, M/M, Married Couple, Philip Is Their Son, Set during season 9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24313168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basketballer3511/pseuds/Basketballer3511
Summary: Jim decides to work at "Athlead" even though him and Dwight agreed that Jim wouldn't.
Relationships: Jim Halpert/Dwight Schrute
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Philly Jim

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I'm watching season 9 rn and I always skip it. I think I've only watched it twice because it's so sad to watch because you know the shows ending, but mostly because Pam and Jim leave Scranton. So in this version Jim and Pam never leave, but Jim still gets to live his dream.   
> Also I know a lot of people don't like season 9, but it's actually so good. It's serious at times, compared to other seasons especially but it's still great.

"What do you mean you took the job? Jim we agreed to that you couldn't be a partner because you'd have to be down in Philly" Dwight shouted, putting his hands on his hips in frustration.

"I know, but I talked with them and they said I could work out of Scranton. Dwight, we can make this work" Jim said vehemently, trying to convince Dwight and make him see what Jim was seeing. 

Dwight felt his eyes start to water, "Jim it can't work that's why we agreed for you to not take it in the first place" Dwight replied. Jim looked at Dwight with wide eyes. He wanted to comfort Dwight, but he was also frustrated that Dwight wasn't supporting him. 

"Dwight, I'll be here okay? Nothing will change between you and I or Phillip. We'll still be a family" Jim said, wrapping his arms around Dwight. Dwight loosely hugged Jim back, still feeling frustrated and heartbroken. 

"I can't believe he didn't tell me and I can't believe he took the job" Dwight said, looking dismally at the camera. 

. . . . . . . . 

Dwight tried to be okay with Jim being apart of "Athlead." He supported Jim frequent conference calls with them. He supported Jim splitting time between Scranton and Philly, but it was frustrating. He was balancing work, Phillip, and not having his husband with him all the time. 

He went from Jim being there for all of Phillip's moments like coming to games and helping with any tantrums, to not having any support. Jim was always busy so they barely had time to call and when he was home he was tired and still working on things for Athlead.

Dwight was exhausted and weighed down. He was frustrated with himself for not being happier for Jim, but he was more frustrated with Jim for doing this to them. 

. . . . . . . .

"No, Jim you said you would be coming back tonight" Dwight whisper yelled on the phone, trying to not alert everyone in the office of everything unraveling for him. Dwight heard Jim talk to someone in the background and laugh. "Dwight, I'm sorry. I know I did, but I'll be here tomorrow night" Jim replied with a light tone.

Dwight took a deep breath, clutching his head in distress. He could feel his heart racing in anger from hearing Jim address this so lightly. "Can I call you on my cell phone?" Dwight asked through gritted teeth. "Um sure, just for a bit okay?" Jim said. 

Dwight hung up his phone aggressively and pulled out his phone and stormed out of the building. 

"Jim, look I need you home today. I can't keep taking care of Philip myself" Dwight said, hating how desperate his voice sounded. "Dwight, look I want to come home, but I can't. And I know. You and Philip have been amazing and I'm so grateful it's just crazy here right now, but it will cool down okay?" Jim said.

Dwight sighed, "you don't sound like you want to come home" Dwight replied bitterly. "Dwight what are you talking about? Of course I do" Jim replied, starting to get frustrated with Dwight. 

Dwight felt his lip start to quiver and his eyes start to water, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Jim, I don't think I can do this anymore" Dwight said, tears starting to fall from his eyes. "Dwight what are you talking about?" Jim shouted, clutching the phone closely to his ear and starting to pace back and fourth. 

"Jim I don't want to ruin your dreams, but I can't keep doing this. I can't keep raising Phillip alone" Dwight whispered. "Dwight, what does that mean?" Jim desperately asked, running his hands through his hair. 

"I think we need to separate" Dwight told him over the phone, letting out a shaky sob. "Dwight, please can we talk about this when I get home?" Jim asked, taking a shaky breath. "Sure" Dwight replied, letting out a shaky exhale. Before Jim could reply Dwight hung up the phone. He wiped his nose on his suit sleeve and tried to control his tears, but they kept falling. 

"Dwight?" Pam called out, standing in front of Dwight who was at the outdoor entrance. "Dwight, what's wrong?" Pam asked, looking worriedly up at Dwight. "Hey Dwight it's okay" Pam said rubbing Dwight's back as he put his head on her shoulder and started to cry. 

"I can't do this anymore with Jim. I asked for a separation from him" Dwight told her. "Oh my god Dwight, what did he say? Are you okay?" Pam said with wide eyes as she pulled away to look him in the eyes. Dwight let out a broken sob, "he said we'll talk when we get home" Dwight told her. "Are you going to go through with it?" Pam asked, her eyes filling in tears as she saw Dwight breaking down in front of her and imagining Jim, being in Philly and not knowing the certainty of his marriage. He shrugged his shoulders and cried. He didn't know what he was going to do. 

. . . . . . . . . .

"Dwight I'm home" Jim greeted, as he walked into their house and set his stuff onto the ground. "We're in the kitchen" Dwight called out. Jim walked into the kitchen greeted to the sight of Dwight feeding their son and Philip happily eating and looking at his father. "Daddy" Phillip called out, putting his hands in the air when he saw Jim. 

"Hey Phillip" Jim greeted with a smile, moving quickly to where Dwight and Phillip were. Dwight moved out of the way and got up. Jim's heart squeezed at the rejection from Dwight, but he scooped Philip up, pressing kisses all over Philip's face. 

"Look how much cuter you've gotten since I last saw you" Jim said dotingly, looking at Philip with adoration. "Jim" Dwight said, raising his brows and clenching his jaw. "Right" Jim said, "alright Phillip let's go play in the living room okay buddy?" Jim said, taking him to the play room. 

"Hey Dwight" Jim said, placing his hands on the chair. "Hello Jim" Dwight curtly responded. Jim looked at Dwight helplessly, scared for what Dwight was going to say. "Do you want a cup of coffee?" Dwight asked, looking for something to do with his hands. "Sure" Jim responded, sitting down on the kitchen table. 

Dwight busied himself with making the coffee, but inevitably he could only do that for so long. "Here" Dwight said, putting the cups down in front of both them and then seating himself down. "Thanks" Jim said, softly smiling up at Dwight from his cup before he took a sip. 

"So we need to talk" Dwight said. Jim took a deep breath and nodded. "Jim I love you, so much and if I could give you the world I would, but this has been so hard for me and I don't think I can do this anymore" Dwight honestly told him, his hands shaking around the cup he was holding in his hand. He had cried so much last night, that he had barely any left as he talked with Jim. 

Jim's eyes began watering as Dwight was talking and when Dwight had finished he was full out sobbing. "Dwight I'll quit, I'll do anything. I can't lose you or Philip. I can't" Jim said, getting up and moving over to sit in the seat next to Dwight.

"Jim I'm not going to make you quit. How would that help our marriage? You're always going to think of me as the person who stopped you from living your dream" Dwight said sighing. "Dwight how could I ever resent you and think of you as that? Dwight you guys are my life and I love you and I'm not letting us give up on us" Jim said, taking Dwight's hands in his. 

Dwight took a deep breath and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. He couldn't respond, he was caught up in emotion and was trying to not cry too loud so that Philip would not be alerted. 

"Dwight, hey Dwight are you okay?" Jim asked in worry, getting up to hug Dwight from behind. "Hey Dwight, it'll be okay" Jim said pressing a kiss on the top of Dwight's head. He wrapped his arms gently around Dwight and put his chin on top of Dwight's head. Dwight held onto Jim's arms and let Jim wipe the continuous tears from his eyes with his thumb. He could feel Jim's tears wetting the top of his head, but he didn't mind. 

"I love you" Dwight said, tilting his head back to look at Jim once he had calmed down. "I love you too" Jim replied, pressing a kiss on Dwight's forehead. Dwight unwrapped himself from Jim's arms and got up. He faced Jim and wrapped his arms around Jim. Jim ducked down to hug Dwight. He had his face pressed into Dwight's shoulder and Dwight held him tightly. 

. . . . . . . . 

"We're going to work this out right?" Dwight asked in a small voice, when they had returned to the office after their first couple counseling session. "Yeah, we will" Jim said with a smile. Dwight smiled back, reveling in the kiss that Jim pressed onto the side of his head. 

. . . . . . . .

"I'm regional manager" Dwight yelled, pumping his fist in the air ecstatically. "I'm so proud of you Dwight" Jim said with a bright smile as he wrapped his husband up in a hug. 

The two were still working on their problems, balancing Jim being in Philly and raising their son, but they had found a good routine and Dwight could not be happier then he was as regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, as husband to Jim Halpert, and father of Philip Schrute.


End file.
